Friction transmission device



July 1940- Y. A. AHNGER FRICTION TRANSMISSION DEVICE Filed July 29, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. YRLIE] A.AHNE1ER ATTORNEY.

July 1940- Y. A. AHNGER FRICTION TRANSMISSION DEVICE Filed July 29, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 PIE. 4-

0 INVENTOR. YRLIU A.AHNEER ATTORNEY y 1940. Y. A. AHNGER 2,209,254

FRICTION TRANSMISSION DEVICE I Filed July 29, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F15. ll]

INVENTOR YYRTJD A. AHNEER AT ORNEY Fafe'ntecl July 23, 194i? 1- UNITED; STATES AfPl'iNl GF 8 Claims.

invention relates to variable speed. and constant. speed friction drive transmission devices, in which power is transmitted from a revolving..v driving member to a revolving driven member by, an intermediate-revolving member of cylindrical, conical or spherical shape.

The driving. member and the .driven member are positioned in such relation. to each other that the intermediate member transmits to the driven member the. speed of the driv member at the same speed .of rotation or at a less Speed or at anincreased speed according to its position; the intermediate member is held against the two other meniberssubstantially by its own Weight or an 155 equivalentforce, depending upon the position of the members.-

The object of this invention is to provide an improved transmission device of this type, which is simple and compact in construction, is efiicient in operation and is inexpensive .to manufacture.

It is. also an object to provide. certain details and features of construction and combinations by which. aspeed. transmission of .this type can produce an infinitely variable. speed transmision 5% within its range.

It is alsoan object to provide certain details and features of construction and combinations by which a speed transmission device ofthis type can. produce any desired reversible speed within 1?. nts range.

It is also anobject to provide certain details andfeatures of construction and combinations by whichua speedtransmission device of this type can produce any-desired constant speed within its'range without the necessity of changing any of-the revolving members of the speed transmission; this results in great economy of manufacture.

. A further purpose of this invention is to place 40 those members of the drive which are in frictional driving contact with each other, into such relationship to each other that the pressure between the members automatically increases in the same proportion as the load to be transmitted 45 increases, and said pressure decreases in the same parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side View of the'variable speed friction transmission.

Fig."2 is-a front 'view'of the variable speed friction'transmission.

Fig1'3 is amodified'form of the transmission device;

Fig.4 isa side view of a disc wheel and a cylin-j drical'wheel with an intermediate ball"for vari'-' able, reversible 'speedtransmission;

Fig.5 is a front view of Fig. 4.

mechanism.

Fig; '7 is a side view of'Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 shows a common wedge to illustrate theprin'ciples'involved;

Fig. 9 is aside view "of two disc wheelsand'a' ball between them.

Fig.- 10' is an end view of two cylindrical wheels and a ball or roller between them.

Fig; 11 is a sectional plan view of a'reversiblej variable spe'edfriction transmission;

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation'ofFig; 11.

The invention in its simplest form "consists'of a driving wheel '6, an intermediate revolving mem ber '10; and 'a driven wheel 8. These elementsof the drive are so disposed to each 'oth'er'that'the common tangential plane'for'the driving member; and'the intermediate member forms an-angle with the common tangential plane'for-the-inter mediatemember andthedriven member;

The drivingmember- 6must-revolve in suclr' direction that .it has. a tendency .to force thein termediate. member i0 towards .the .vertexe.of .the angle of, inclination between the planes of. the; driving. member and the driven member.

When the angle of inclination between the;

driving disc and the drivendisc is-sma11 enough no slipping can take place between thedrivi-ng; member 6, and the intermediate member Land the driven member 8.. The size of theangle can be determined experimentally andtheoretically According to theory the said angle of incidence between discs 6 and 8 mustbe smallerthan'twice' the friction angle of the materials in' contact, otherwise slippage will occur unless suflicientex ternal-pressure is applied on the-intermediate member.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure'2, the several workingparts are supported by a housing 4, partly broken to show the interior. The motor 5 transmits its powerthrough shaft 1 to the driving disc 6." In close proximity to driving disc Bis thedriven disc 8, which is inclined at an angle to driving disc 6 with the vertex of theangle below the discs,v

Fig. 6'is a front view of a yoke for speed control" v The intermediate spherical member is preferably operated along a line'which is drawn be tween the centers of disc 6 and disc 8 as shown by the side View in Figure l. The intermediate member ID is operated and held in any required position by yoke ll, whichis supported by and slides, along the rod I2, on which are the stops Hi. There is a male thread I on rod l3, which passes through the female thread in yoke H.

The hand wheel It turns the thread of rod I3,

which causes yoke ll toassume any position between the stops i l. By this method the interme: diate member Ii] as shown in Figure 2, can be drawn towards the center of driving member 6,

and at the same time drawn towards the circumv This will cause a, reduction of the number of revolutions of the ference of driven member 8.

speedas driven shaft 9. The change in position' t of yoke H to change the speed is shown by 'dot t ted lines I8.

transmissioncan take place.

In Figure 2, yokes I8 and indicate adjusted 7 positions of yoke ll.

, The structure shown in Figures t and 5 repre sents a reversible, variable speed drive in which the cylindrical wheel 29 drives the disc wheel 30 through the intermediate ball 3l.' In order to vary the speed of disc wheel 30 and to reverse the direction of its rotation, the ball 3| must be moved along its path across the face of disc. wheel 3i].

Each time the ball passes the centerof disc 30, the direction of rotation of said disc wheel reverses. It is to "be noted that when ball 3| is exactly. opposite the center .of disc 3i] no power Notch 32 has been provided in order that the ball could not be in driving contact with the driving and driven mem bers when close to the center of disc wheel 30. A

yoke should be used of the type shown in Figures 6 and 7 with a bar 42 to prevent the ball 3| from moving farenough toward the vertex of angle W to re-establish driving contact with the driving and driven members while within the notch 32.

'Otherwise, the means for moving the intermediate'ball back and forth could be the same as shown'in Figures 1 and 2 or any other ordinary means. j

This drive will operate without slippage be.- tween the driving, intermediate and driven mem:

bers provided the driving member'29v revolves in the direction shown by the .arrow and the angle W,is smaller'than twice the friction angle of materials incontact. The angle- W is formed by the common tangential planes for the driving and driven members and the intermediate member.

The common tangential plane ofqtheball 3| and disc wheel 30 'coincides'with the disc surface.

It is obvious that the cylindrical fwheel 29 canbe replaced by a conicalwheel, the'face of the disc wheel-30 being parallel with the near side i of the conical wheel. 7

It is also obvious that' the disc" wheel 30 can 4 be replaced by, a'conical wheel 'withth xis f;

the cylindrical wheel 29, parallel with the near side of the conical'wheel.

In cases Where .a speed transmission is subjected to vibration (for instance automobile drives) it is necessary to exert an external force to keep the intermediate member in constant contact with the driving and driven members of the transmission. The same is true in those cases where the transmission is in such position that the intermediate member would fall away unless held in place. Additional pressure mustialso be applied on the intermediatemember when the angle betweenthe common tangential planes for the driving and' driven members and the intermediate member is larger than twice thefriction angle of the materials in contact.

The additional pressure on the intermediate member can be applied by the yoke 33, shown in Figures 6 and 7, which is similar to yoke l I, shown inFigures l and 2, and can be used in its place.

The yoke 33 possesses, however refinements not found in yoke ll, Ball bearings 34"are'mount'ed on stationary shafts 35' and serve to reduce fries tion when yoke 33 is moving'ball l ll 'along its" path for speed changing purposes. *Ballbearing 36, mounted on shaft 31 isintended to exert pres? sure on ball 40 to the extent required.

pressure is brought about by the twos prings-38 which press against the flattened endsofs'haft 31 which shaft can move toward the bar 42 and away from it in the oval hole 39. The bar is intended to limit the extent of Vplay'of ball 4 0.

The hole 43 is provided'so' that 'theyoke-can slide along a guiding rod, for example rod l2 Figures 1 and 2. The threaded hole '41 'isprovided for a speed control screw such asefor ex ample screw IS on rod I3 in Figure 2,

As mentioned ,before,"and' also indicated in Figure '7, the common tangential plane at the. contact point between the driving membenand .the ball 40 forms an angle W with the'common tangential plane at the contact pointbetween the ball 40 and the driven member. *A line Figure '7, through these contact pointslfoi'm san instantaneous axis of rotation around'which the ball 40 rotates when moved by yoke 33 for speed control purposes. This axis lies at a distance r-from the center of the ball. This'shows that the ball 40 revolves on the'two contact sur; faces when its position is changed'for speed con-f trol purposes. t As stated before in these specificationsj the friction gearing described will transmit power" without slippage provided the anglef which the common tangential plane for the drivihg memher and the intermediate member forms with thecommon tangential planeifor therintermediatemember and the driven member, is smaller-thantwice the friction angle of the materials in con-.-

tact, and the direction of rotation: of the driving member is such that it has a tendency to force the intermediate member toward the vertexrof,

said angle; I

The law which governs the actions of a, wedge can also be used to prove the abovepassertiona; In this connection, .referenceshould;be.,had;to

Figures 8 to 10 inclusive.

Figure 8 shows a common wedge, the

which form the wedge angle. ;as note,d. ,1

Figure 9 shows two disc wheels which form. an;

angle W with each other as notedz and aballirest ing against the surfaces of the disc Whe ls;

Figure 10 shows an end elevation of two.'-cylin drical wheels andanintermediate .ball or roller,

so disposed towards-each tother-lthatgthe-tcommon 51* tangential planes-for the outer members and the intermediate memberform an angle W with each other. I v

-When a force P,'in above mentioned figures,-

. acts upon the wedge or the ball or' roller in such cos k From everyday experience we know that a driven wedge often is forced to slide out byside pressure forces Q. In order to establish the conditions under which a driven wedge cannot be forced outby the side pressure forces Q we can utilize the above equation for force P. We have to note, however, that in this case the friction forces fQ, are directed downward for which reason the equation now reads P cos it The force P is positive when it acts in the direction shown in illustrations, that is toward the vertex. Three instances are possible, depending on whether If W/2 7c we get, from above equation, a positive force P. This signifies that we require an external force to prevent the wedge or the ball or the'roller from sliding out.

If W/2=k we get, from above equation, P O which signifies that the wedge barely stays in.

If W/2 lc we get, likewise from above equation, a negative value for the force P. This signifies that the wedge or the ball does not slide out (no slippage occurs) unless an external force is used to loosen the wedge or the balls The size of this external force is (W the friction angle is, the intermediate member will slip and can transmit power from the driving member to the driven member only if an external force is applied to press the intermediate member against the driving and driven members.

The force fQ (see Figures 9 and 10) represents the peripheral driving force of, for instance, an electric motor. The coeflicient of friction f is a constant. Thus, when the motor runs under full load, Q is twice greater than when the motor runs under half load.

From this we see that:

The pressure between the driving and driven members and the intermediate member is directly proportional to the load to be transmitted.

It can be seen from above equation for P that reater the torque to be transmitted, thefirn'ier does the intermediate'member become lodged" between the driving and drivenlinembers-with no possibility of slippage.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure'll and Figure 12, the several working parts are supported by housing 44.

The motor supports atthe-end of itsshaft the driving disc wheel 45. Inclose proximity 'tothis driving disc wheel are two driven disc wheels 47 and 48,-which are inclined at an angle to the driving disc wheel 46 with the vertex of the angle below the discs.

Either of the intermediate balls 49 and Sloan transmit the power from the driving disc wheel- 46 to the drivendisc-wheels 41 and 48; Depend ing upon'the direction of rotation of=the motor and the driving disc 5$, it has a tendency toforce one of the balls 453 and 59 toward the-vertex of the angle of inclination between the driving and the driven disc wheels 1 forcing that ball into driving contact between the disc wheels whil'e the other ball is idling.

Mounted on the shafts of the disc wheels 4 and 48, are gears 5! and'52, which engageanother gear 53 mounted on the output shaft 54. By' suitably selecting this gearing, it ispossible to have the output shaft 54 parallel with the motor shaft, for instance, both horizontal.

To change the speed of the-output shaft 54,

when the peripheral force IQ and consequentlyQ increases, the numerical rvalue of- ---P increasesin the same proportion, or in otherwords, the;

the balls 49 and 5!! are operated along a line" drawn between the centers of discs 48, 46 and 41; Said balls areoperated and held in-any desired position on their pathby yokes 55 and '56. Yoke or cage 33, Figure 6, could be substitutedin place of yokes 55 and 56 if desired. Yokes 55 a'nd 56 are supported by rod 57 and propelled back and right hand there is a circular driven disc the cir-.

cumference of which overlaps the driving disc to the center or near the center of the driving disc,

the inclination of the driven disc. to "be atflfan' angle to the driving disc sufficient to frictionally engage an intermediate spherical member so that the driving member will frictionally engage said intermediate member when the same-is' operated' by gravity, and thereby turnthe driven member, in combination with a similarlysituated drivendisc on the opposite side. of .the driving disc, which has its own similar intermediate member, with means for moving and retaining inposition either or both of said intermediate members for the purpose of reversing the direction of rotation at will by reversing the motor, all substantially as described.

2. In a transmission mechanism comprising a driving disc wheel and a driven disc wheel apart from each other, a ball in tangential contact with the driving and the driven disc wheels, said disc wheels inclining toward each other at an angle smaller than twice the friction angle of the materials in contact, and rigid bearings which revolvably but infiexibly hold the above mentioned disc wheels in this predetermined in- .75

loo.

clined-position and do not permitany axial move-- tween the ball and. the driving and the driven driving disc wheel and a driven disc, wheel apart from each other and inclined toward each other,

a ,ball in tangential contact with said driving and? driven disc wheels, the combination of (a) hearings to hold both disc wheels revolvably but rigidly at.a constant distance from each other and inclining toward each other at an angle smaller than twice the friction angle of the materialin contact; (b) a yoke or cage to hold the ball between the disc wheels and move it for speed changing purposes, said yoke being of such construction that it permits slight freedom of motion for the ball toward and away from the vertex of the angle between the disc wheels, whereby no slippage'can take place between the driving disc wheel, the ball and the driven disc wheel, when the driving disc wheel revolves in such direction that it has atendency to force the ball. toward the'vertex of the angle between also the pressure between the ball and the driven disc wheels is caused to grow in the same proper,-

tion as the torque to be transmitted grows and to recede inthe same proportion as the torque tobe transmitted recedes.

14, Injtransmission mechanism comprising a driving disc wheel and a driven disc wheel apart from eachuother, a ball in tangential contact with said driving and driven disc wheels, the disc wheels inclining'toward each other at an angle smaller than that twice the friction angle of. the materials in contact andrevolvably but infiexibly 1 held in this position by rigid bearings, the driven disc wheelprovided with a small, shallow notch or depression on its working face surrounding its axis of rotation, within which notch the ball cannot be in driving contact with the driving or drivendisc wheels when moved across the face offthe disc wheels'for speed regulating and reversing purposes by a yoke of such construction that it limits the distance which the ball is permitted to move toward the vertex of the angle between .the driving and the driven disc wheels, when the driving disc wheel revolves in such direction that it has a tendency to force the ball toward the vertex of the angle between the drive ing and the driven disc wheels.

5. A frictional transmission device in which a circular driving disc is'so arranged that on the right hand there is a circular driven disc; the circumference of' which overlaps the driving disc to the center or near the center of the driving disc, the inclination of the driven disc to be at an angle to the driving disc sufficient to frictionally engage an intermediate spherical member so.

that the driving member will frictionallyengage said intermediate member' and therefore turn the driven member, in combination with a similarly situated driven disc on the opposite side of the direction of rotation at will, by reversing the,

motor. s 6. Transmission mechanism comprising a driving disc wheel and a driven disc wheel apart from each other, a ball in tangential contact with the driving and driven disc wheels, said disc wheels inclining toward each other at an angle smaller than twice the friction angle of the materials in contact, and means revolvably but rigidly to hold said disc wheels in this inclined position at a constant distance from each other.

'7. Transmission mechanism comprising a driving disc wheel and a driven disc wheel apart from each other and inclining at an angle toward each other, said angle being smaller than twice the friction angle of the'materials in contact,

and means revolvably but infiexibly to hold said disc wheels in this inclined positionat a constant distance from each other, a ball between them in tangential contact with said driving and driven disc wheels and-means to move the ball along its path between the driving and driven disc wheels in such amanner as to vary the speed of rotation of the driven disc wheel.

8. Transmission mechanism comprising a dil -VI ing disc wheel and a driven disc Wheel apart from each other and inclining at an angle toward each.

other, said angle being smaller than twice the friction angle of the materials in contact, and rigid bearings revolvably but-inflexibly to hold said disc wheels in this inclined position at a. constant distance from each other, a ball be-f tween them in tangential contact with saiddriving and driven disc wheelsand means resiliently to hold the ball in driving contact with the driving and driven disc wheels in any desired position and to move the ball along its path between thedriving and driven disc wheels in such a manner as to vary the speed of rotation of the driven disc wheel and to reverse the direction of rotation of the driven disc wheel.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

g July 25, 191 0. YRJOA. AHNGER; It is hereb certified that error appears in the printed specification Patent-Nd. 2,209,25L 7 of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, second column, lines 5and 6, strike out the words and period 'F'ig. 5 isamodified form'of the transmission device."; lines Tand 10, for "14 read -5; line 10, for "5 read lines 11 and 15, for "6" read --5-; line 15, for "7" read --6--; line 1). for 8" read -'T--; line 16, for "9"oread --8 line 18, for"lO" read --9-; lines 20 and 22, for"ll" read'-,lO line 22, for "12 read ll-; page 2, first column, line 35, for "Figures )4. and 5" read .-Figures 5a ndlI--; line 5l, and second column, line 19, for"6 and 7" read -5 and 6- lines 59 and 1411., for "7" read -6--; line 67,- for "8 to 10" read -7 to 9-; line 68, for "8" read --7-; line 70, for "9" read .-8--; line 75, for "10" read -9--; page 5,-first column, line 65, for "9 v and 10" read --8 and 9-; and second column, line 9, for"Figure 11 and Figure 12" read --Figure 10 andFigure 1l-; line 58, for "6 read --5--; and

that the said Letters Patent shouldbe readwith this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed' and sealed this 22nd day of October, A. D. 191m.

7 Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

